ECOWAS Deploys 250-member Observer Team, Urges Peaceful Polls

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has deployed a 250-member Election Observation team to various parts of Nigeria ahead of today’s Presidential and National Assembly elections and the governorship and state houses of assembly elections scheduled for March 11.

Head of the observer team and former president of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, made this known in Abuja on Thursday ahead of the deployment even as he charged the observers to display a high sense of responsibility and to be wary of fake news and ensure the exercise is a true reflection of the will of the people.

He said “Election observation is not an easy responsibility and for you to be given that responsibility means a lot of work has been done to assess your integrity and capability. Let me also thank you for accepting to come and serve in this all –important election. The elections in Nigeria are not just about Nigeria. They go beyond Nigeria, they go beyond ECOWAs, they go beyond even the Africa continent.

“Nigeria is a shining star in the continent. Whatever happens in Nigeria will set the pace for elections and activities for other countries.  We have in recent time witnessed a reversal of the democratic gains that we have made over the years. Of recent we have had five coups and we have three countries that are being run by military regimes, this is not a profile that we should be proud of because we thought military coups are things of the past.”

President Koroma noted that a “lot of issues revolved around the election and the outcome of the elections. That is why I believe ECOWAS is very concerned and has taken time to ensure that its Protocol on peace and security are adhered to and we have a responsibility as observers to ensure that we contribute to the process.”

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, in his remarks expressed hope about a peaceful election that will reflect the will of the people.

He said “We are going to have good elections in Nigeria that reflect the will of the people.  This is the largest economy, this is the largest country in the region, so what goes in here affects all of us.  Democracy in Nigeria means democracy for the sub-region and democracy for the African continent.

“So this is why ECOWAS attaches a lot of importance and it accounts for the fact that we have deployed the largest contingent in recent years with more than 250 people and with a budget that is quite significant. A number of international originations have deployed observers but most of them will depend on what ECOWAS has said.”